Research the Impact of Prejudice and Discrimination

2.1- Explain ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination. There are many ways in which children can experience prejudice and discrimination in school. There are so many pressures on children nowadays to “fit in” and to conform with expected behaviours that they may then be discriminated against or bullied if they don’t do this. This can all start at a surprisingly young age and all staff within school needs to be aware and vigilant to ensure that children respect and embrace diversity.

Children can experience prejudice and discrimination in the same way as us adults can due to their race, religion, age, sex, culture or ethnicity. Its important to look out for a few things within school: - Comments made about how a child looks or the clothes they are wearing.

- Children not playing with others who may be seen as ‘different’ - Children being excluded because they are either boys or girls. - Children only playing with other children that are the same race or ethnicity There are two main ways in which children and young people can experience prejudice and discrimination; this is through direct and indirect discrimination.

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Direct discrimination can be name calling because of a child’s size, race, religion, disabilities for example if children are playing netball and a smaller child wants to join in but the other children may not let them because they are short. Indirect discrimination can be for example when a child is from a different culture will not be excluded but may not want to join in because of their personal beliefs or their situation.

By promoting inclusion it can be helpful to children’s well being and can benefit the children in the long run.

2.2 Analyse the impact of prejudice and discrimination on children and young people. Prejudice and discrimination can only have negative effects on children and young people. As well as affecting academic progress of children, discrimination can negatively impact their overall health and well-being. When children or young people feel they are being discriminated against they may experience:

● loss of self-esteem
● disempowerment
● confusion
● anger
● lack of motivation
● depression.
• Low confidence.
• Low self worth.
• Low self value/Confused identity.
• Fear of rejection.
• Isolated.
• Withdrawn.
• Feel stressed and unable to cope.

Prejudice creates social and emotional tension and can lead to fear and anxiety and occasionally hostility and violence. Prejudice and discrimination can undermine the self-esteem and self-confidence of those being ridiculed and make them feel terrible, unaccepted and unworthy. When that happens, their school performance often suffers, they may become depressed and socially withdrawn and childhood can become a much less happy time.